Danger Follows Them
by Aerilon452
Summary: John and Helen are drawn into a trap for reasons not yet known to them, but John is as the center of it all.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: John and Helen walk into a trap set just for them

Disclaimer; I own nothing of Sanctuary and or John and Helen. Not a single thing.

Rating: T+

Paring; Helen/John

**DANGER FOLLOWS THEM:**

This was supposed to be a normal Op, on another normal day. Helen would teleport in with John close to an old abandoned building being used to house a dangerous abnormal. The trees were too dense to allow for vehicle transport so Helen had to call John and ask for his assistance. She hadn't wanted to, not after Hollow Earth, but this abnormal needed help and John Druitt was the only other person to help her. Helen Magnus didn't realize that she was in trouble.

John had been mildly surprised to receive Helen's message requesting his help. A few seconds after reading it he appeared in Helen's office. Helen didn't flinch at the sight of him where the rest gathered jumped slightly at his sudden arrival. She had only said, "Better late than never." In return he had smirked at her where she offered him a ghost of a smile. John listened as Helen detailed the rest of the plan and they would leave as soon as she finished gearing up. Now there were moving through the trees with the cover of darkness to hide them.

"By all accounts the building should be relatively undefended." Helen whispered. She checked her scanner, finding only the heat coming from the abnormal.

"Relatively?" John questioned. He was unconvinced of this. There was something not quite right about the situation. To his left Helen started to move in but he stopped her with his hand around her wrist.

"What are you doing?" she hissed shaking his hand off.

"Wait, just wait," He growled. John let his senses encompass them trying to pick out what wasn't right, but he couldn't find it. His hand released her wrist.

"Honestly John, what did you expect?" Helen asked before moving along the shadows towards an access door. She could tell John was moving with her. With him at her back she removed a set of lock picks.

"That is highly illegal you know?" John muttered.

"Then why don't you call the police." Helen replied with sarcasm as she began finessing the tumblers to open without aide of a key.

"Why don't you just let me teleport us inside?" John asked. It would have been simpler to just to do that rather than pick the lock.

"Because this abnormal is hypersensitive to sound and to sight. Our sudden appearance would frighten it." Helen reasoned haring the third tumbler lock into place. She slowly pushed the door open then smiled smugly at John. He only raised an eyebrow at her. The interior was barely illuminated, but it was enough for them to see by. Stepping inside Helen moved to the center of the room where a large crate was left unattended.

There was that stomach churning terrible feeling again as John followed Helen into the building. His eyes swept the room with the light available but he couldn't see anything out of place. What was making him worry so much? Easy, he was with Helen and when they were near each other the need to protect her kicked into overdrive inside him. John was about to reach out when the sound of a tranquilizer gun firing. At first he thought it was Helen who was hit, but in bedded in his chest was a dart. "Helen!" John shouted.

Helen didn't wait for John to follow her. But something wasn't right; she could sense that much. Moving closer to the crate her internal alarm was screaming she and John were in trouble. Turning to him she saw the dart in his chest. "John!" She yelled, but gun fire exploded around them. Helen didn't even know if John was alright.

John tried to go to Helen, tried to help her, but his body was frozen. Only his mind could function and his mind screamed for Helen. Why couldn't he move? With shear determination John forced the fingers of his left hand to flex, to ball into a fist. Five digits down, now to get the rest of his body to move then John could be able to help Helen. Concentrating all of his strength John took one staggering step foreword. He had barely moved ten feet when he saw Helen fall from the upper level and land on a pile of rubble. Her cry rang out in the darkness.

Helen was halfway across the creaky catwalk when she caught sight of John staggering. There wasn't much that could hurt John, but he was moving as if he was losing blood. What had happened to him? What was going to happen to her? Just then a feeling cascaded over her. As she turned a shadow shrouded fist connected with her check knocking her back with such force she tumbled over the edge of the catwalk where she fell onto a pile of rubble. Immense pain rocked her nervous system with blood flowing over her thigh. She had a thin metal shard through the middle of her thigh. All she could think was ha she hoped it didn't sever her artery or she was done for even with her rapid healing.

John broke out of his bone deep frozen state rushing to Helen. He barely made out the blood coating her thigh, all he knew was that he had to get her out of there. Not worrying about the pain he would cause, John hauled her up, there her left arm over his shoulder and wrapped his arm around her waist. It was then that John tried to teleport but nothing happened. He could feel the block. His power was there just out of his reach. Growling in frustration John made a break for the rear exit. By his side the best Helen could manage was a fast hobble. She knew they had to get out, preferably before she passed out. To Helen's credit she did well keeping up with his long legged strides through the trees. John wasn't sure if they were being followed but he was sure they were. One thing was certain this had been a trap, but for who. Was it for Helen? Was it for himself? And why weren't his powers working?

Helen tired with all of her remaining strength to keep up with John as they crashed and stumbled through the trees and brush heading away from the building that had nearly claimed their lives. She felt tired from the blood loss. Her pain level was being tested with every stumbling stride John forced her to take. He had a grip like steel on her and she was grateful for it. John was the only thing keeping her standing, keeping her moving. "John I can't…" She gasped; hr breathing coming in short gasps.

"We have to keep moving." John ordered. "Who ever set the trap will be on our heels. I can feel them following us." He brought her tighter into his side wrenching a cry from her.

"I can't." Helen bit out trying to keep the wave of black threatening to overtake her. She wanted to pass out, to fall to the ground, and escape the pain. Before she could give in and twig snapped and John was off and running with her barely able to keep up.

John was running out of steam. He had to get somewhere relatively guarded so he could tend to Helen. Keeping his mind on task John glimpsed head stones. Where there were headstones had to be mausoleums. It was a chance he had to take because there was no telling how much more Helen could take.

**CEMETARY:**

John stumbled through a crack in the side of a mausoleum wall falling to the ground with Helen on top of him. They had narrowly escaped whoever was following them with John hiding them. As quickly and as quietly as he could John moved both his body and Helen's behind the stone crypt. It was a precaution John took, but he wasn't sure why.

"Where… are… we?" Helen's teeth chattered. She was probably going into shock. Her body was so shaking, shivering with the blood loss. John's arms around her kept her warm enough.

"We're in a nice filthy cemetery. Is this fitting enough? Does this make you happy?" John snarled with anger. Though, he shouldn't be angry at her. It wasn't her fault. He was just angry that he couldn't use his powers. John could feel them, but they were right out of his reach. It was starting to enrage him. When he got his hands on those who set the trap for them, there would be nothing left.

Pulling on all of her strength Helen pushed away from John and staggered to her feet to get away from him. "This… is not… my fault."

John rose and went to her, "I know and I shouldn't have snarled at you." Reaching out to her John maneuvered her over to the top of the crypt. "Now, if you'll permit me, I want to take a look at your wound." He took off his coat and balled it up under her head." His hands went immediately, gently, to the metal shard in her thigh. "This will hurt," John pulled the shard free of her thigh quickly.

Helen arched her back, turning her head into the leather of John's coat where she smothered a scream. It had to be done she told herself through the pain and desire to pass out. "In my bag…" she gasped. "Med kit."

"Just stay still." John soothed placing his bloody hand on her abdomen pushing her back flat against the vault stone. He then rummaged around in her pack finding the first aide kit. Taking the out what he needed John went back to Helen and started to tend to her wound. "This will hurt." John ripped the top off of a package of powder Helen created for blood coagulation. The down side was the pain he was going to put Helen through.

"I know," Helen gasped. "It will feel like acid." And then it started. Pain spread out from her wound all over her body. Helen gulped down breath to scream when lips covered hers. John was keeping her quiet from those who sprang the trap. Her hands fisted in his shirt keeping his mouth to hers, letting him drink down her cries of pain. Just a few more seconds and the pain would fade as the blood stopped.

John felt Helen slip into unconsciousness. Pulling back he saw lines of pain crease her forehead. Helen may be asleep, but she was still in the thrall of pain from her wound. The blood stopped was working half way and he couldn't find any bandages in her bag. Whoever last stocked the Med Kit would have to have a serious talking to on the importance of including bandages. All John had to bandage her wound was his shirt. Knowing that she wouldn't hear him John muttered, "You owe me a new shirt." He slipped his shirt off of his body and folded it in such a way that after he finished wrapping her wound with it John could use the sleeves to tie it off.

While letting her sleep John moved to the crack in the mausoleum wall to scan the night for the ones who had chased after them in silent pursuit. Their attackers had made no sound at all except for the loud concussion of their weapons. Reaching up John touched his fingers to the small puncture wound on his chest where he had pulled the dart from. Whatever was in the dart was enough to keep him from using his power gifted to him by the Source Blood. To say that John Druitt, famed killer of White Chapel, wasn't having a good night would be an understatement. For how he would have to wait until Helen slept a little before they could move.

**A FEW HOURS LATER:**

Helen woke tired and achy, but that was the least of her problems. The mind searing pain in her right thigh took all the attention off of her fatigue. She had the thought to call Will, to get and evac right away from wherever she and John had ended up. Slowly Helen reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. Only, her phone wouldn't be much help. The screen was busted beyond all possible use. She groaned half out of pain and half out of frustration. They were stuck and she was injured.

John had stood guard for five hours while Helen slept. The chill of the spring night was starting to get to him. It was then he heard Helen groan. Turning to her John instantly went to her, pulled by the metaphysical tether that tied them together. He placed his hand on her abdomen urging her to stay down, "You should stay down, just for a little while longer." John whispered. Just in the last two hours his internal warning bells had been blaring; they were still being watched.

Helen turned her head to the sound of John's voice trying to focus on his words rather than the fact he had no shirt on. "Where's your shirt?" John moved his hand from her abdomen and touched her right thigh gently indicating where his shirt had gone to. "Ah, well… thank you."

"Whoever packed you medical supplies forgot bandages. When you get home they need a serious talking to." John pointed out using his heightened vision to see if blood had seeped through. So far he felt nothing. "Think you can walk?"

"I can hobble, with your help." Helen muttered the last part knowing full well that John had heard her. Sitting up slowly she wavered but kept herself in the upright position partially from stubbornness and partially from John's hands around her waist. Without thought her hands rested on top of his bare upper arms where she felt the coldness of his flesh. "You're freezing cold."

"It's nothing." John pulled away from her grabbing his leather coat that would be warm enough, after all Helen had been lying on it. Slipping it on, not bothering to button it, he offered Helen his strength. "We should leave while we can." John wrapped her left arm over his shoulder and wrapped his right arm around her waist keeping her tight against him.

"Do you know…" she rested her head against his for a moment. Helen was dizzy from getting up too fast. Her one saving grace was John. He as always there when she needed him the most. She was truly glad that it was he and no one else to walk into that trap with her.

"We have to move," John whispered, his voice harsh; little more than a rumbling growl. Helping her to the thin entrance, john took her arm from around his shoulder so he could slip through and then help her though. Once again John draped her left arm across his shoulders and took her about the waist. Casting his gaze around John was ever mindful, watching for those who had set a trap for them.

Helen didn't try to walk, she knew she couldn't. This time she leaned on John fully knowing that he was strong enough for the both of them. "Where are we headed?" Helen asked.

"We need to get back to the Sanctuary." John answered absentmindedly. He wasn't focusing on her; it was on the scenery around them. If someone was following them, John wanted to make sure that he knew.

"We're three days…" Helen drew in a deeper breath, she felt like she only had one lung. Blood loss was terrible, "From the Sanctuary on foot." Reaching down Helen felt her make shift bandage. There was no blood as best as she could tell, but at the rate they were moving, she could need a bandage change soon enough.

"There isn't another option but to travel on foot." John pointed out putting the tree line between them and the open field of the cemetery. Dawn was just now coming to the heavens, lighting their way. For right now they were in the clear. Whoever or whatever was following them had broken off pursuit; at least for the time being.

"Why aren't you teleporting us?" Helen asked. she had been so consumed with her pain that she had nearly missed that detail.

"I can't." John growled low and deadly. It was grating on his nerves with his inability to use his power. Whatever was in the dart, John just prayed that it wore off soon. If not, then it would be a long hike to the sanctuary.

"What?" Helen made John stop walking, "How is that possible with out an EM shield." John had never not had his power before. This did make sense and she wasn't sure how it was possible to block his power. Who could have done this to him? Who had the technology and the know how? Two possible answers occurred to her; Tesla or the denizens of Hollow Earth. Nikola was gone again looking for God only knows what while the inhabitants of Hollow earth stayed underground. They had no reason to harm John.

"I don't know." Did she think that he had spent the last hours trying to figure it out? John had wracked his brain trying to catalogue all that was happening to him. It was as if there was a block between him and his power, but not between him and that creature that resided in his body. With out his power as a buffer, a way to keep getting stronger, the creature was at a loss. During the last months of his solitude John had been working on a way to visualize the creature in his mind rather than a mass of energy. Finally his mind had settled on picturing the thing as a pacing black panther in his mind. It was always there, always watching. Right now it was pacing in a confused circle.

Helen pulled away from John so she could look at him. The only clothing he wore on his chest was his long leather duster, and he hadn't even bothered to button it up. Just above his heart Helen could see a red welt. Before reaching out Helen made sure she had enough balance. She gently put some of her weight on her right leg and then touched the welt on John's chest. His skin was still cold, but not as cold as before. The only spot of true heat was coming from the horrible mark on his perfect pale skin. "Is this from the dart?"

"Yes," Automatically John placed his hand of hers as her fingers traced the circular wound. It had healed over in the short time they were hiding in the crypt, but his gift's had yet to return. Looking anywhere but at her John caught sight of blood soaking through his shirt bandage. "I'll have to get us somewhere so I can clean out that wound again."

"What?" Helen looked down at her thigh, "Damn." She looked at him and draped her left arm once again across his shoulders. Like they had never stopped touching each other John immediately wrapped his arm around her waist giving his strength to her. "When you find us somewhere to rest I'll take another look at your chest." Turning her head Helen couldn't resist the smile that played over her lips. On instinct she knew John was smiling too.

**LATER THAT AFTERNOON:**

The sun had risen high in the sky making the day warmer than Helen would have thought. Twice she and John had to stop; first for John to strip off his leather duster and stuff it in her pack and again for her to take off her jacket as well. Even though they were still in dense woods the temperature was still on the rise. If there was a time of year Helen could hate, it would be summer; too much heat and not enough of a breeze.

As they continued to walk Helen could feel the blood trickling down her leg. Any more walking and it would be pooling in her boot before too long. For the duration f their trek today she had been quiet and trusted John's judgment of where they should go to avoid danger. Normally she would take charge, give orders, and be the one to chose. Only, when she was with John she could let go. He had tended to her wound, bandaged it, and was now helping her back to the Sanctuary. Deep down she had half expected John to just leave her. But then, she knew that to be foolish. John would never leave her; he couldn't, just as she couldn't completely cut him out of her life.

"Do you need to rest?" John asked stopping near a giant tree. The trunk was large enough to hide their bodies from sight.

"No, I can…" Helen was about to say she could keep going, but her leg hurt and she wanted to rest.

"Helen, rest, I'll go scout a head and see if there is a cabin or shack we can hole up in for the rest of the day." John urged her down to the ground. He knew she could and would keep going, but the blood loss was beginning to be too much for him to ignore. Helen had been strong enough for one day.

She watched John leave, meld into the scenery as if nothing more than a ghost. Helen slid down the bark of the tree and waited for him. Looking at her thigh she was half tempted to take the bandage, the bloodied ruined shirt, off of her and check her wound, but that would make things worse. Helen would have to wait until they found somewhere safe. Exhaustion tugged at her tempting her. Giving in Helen let her head fall back to rest against the tree bark where she closed her eyes for only a minute.

John came back through the trees to see Helen with her eyes closed. Instant panic flooded his system. He rushed to her and felt her pulse. John sighed; Helen was still breathing. She was only napping. The hike he had taken her on had taken too much of her energy. Laying his finger against her cheek John stroked her skin, gently urging her to wake up. "Helen? Wake up for me now." He whispered while dividing his attention to the surrounding forest to make sure no one would come up upon them.

In the dark of her exhausted sleep Helen could hear John's gentle voice and feel the tenderness in his touch. Slowly opening her eyes she saw instantly the concern lingering in his clear blue eyes. Then she knew something wasn't right. John had just left, without his power he couldn't have gotten back to her so quickly. "How long have you been gone?" She asked sitting up better causing pain to radiate through her entire right leg. But she didn't cry out. That wasn't who she was.

"About an hour," John answered taking Helen's hands as to help her stand and lean against him. "However, I do have a bit of good news. There is a cabin not far a head where we can rest out the rest of the day and I can clean and bandage your wound again." Taking easy steps John began to walk with Helen hobbling beside him.

"How fortunate are we?" Helen joked while trying not to feel the warmth of John's skin from being in the sun. He felt so good, so warm, Helen wanted to curl against him and go back to sleep. 'Soon enough you can get all the rest you require.' She reminded herself. John had found a cabin and hopefully it wasn't a run down shack.

John breathed a silent sigh of relief when he caught sight of the cabin again. He had been supremely lucky to find it and there had been no signs of inhabitants for months. John had gone through the cabin systematically to make sure there would things there he could use. To his shock he had found food in the pantry, clothes, and first aide supplies. At first he had thought it was some kind of trap, only there was nothing within the cabin to support such unfounded concerns. Still John would keep his guard up

"Are we sure no one lives here?" Helen looked at the cabin. It was well kept denoting that someone used it often.

"No one that I found. I did a walk through when I came upon it." John, with Helen still against him, stepped up on the porch reaching out for the door knob. "As far as I could tell there has been no one here for a few months."

"Then we are indeed fortunate." Helen muttered.

"We should get that wound cleaned." John didn't give her a chance to protest. He kept her leaning against him as he guided her to where the small bathroom waited. In the center of the room was a working, antique, claw foot tub. It was all instinct that had John gathering what he needed to help Helen. John turned the tap on filling the tub half way with warm water.

In the doorway Helen leaned against the wall letting the pack slip from her shoulders to clatter to the floor. She was still so tired. In the back of her mind she would have loved nothing more than to just curl up and go back to sleep, but John had been right. Her wound needed to be cleaned and rebadged. So, she waited for John to finish, waited for him to signal to her to come closer. Helen couldn't up but see the long lingering edges of John's domestic nature that she had been the only one to see.

Looking back at Helen, John saw a curious expression playing out over her features. She was amused at him. There was even a ghost of a smile dancing over her lips. He held out his hand to her and waited. Slowly Helen hobbled over to his, but she still didn't have the right amount of strength to stand on her own. She stumbled, falling into his arms. "Let's get you cleaned up." John whispered sitting her on the edge of the tub. He crouched down in front of her so he could remove her boots. John lowered the zipper on the inside of her right boot, pulled it off, and repeated the same action with her left boot. Carefully he untied his ruined shirt turned makeshift bandage where he tossed it away. Removing her socks and tossing them over near her boots John reached for the button of her pants where he paused looking up at her.

Helen had been waiting for him to reach, just waiting for it. In truth, deep down she was enjoying the gentle way in which John was caring for her. She locked gazes with him arching her eyebrow in silent consent. Her breath caught in her lungs with the feel of John's fingers nimbly freeing the front closure of her pants and then lowering the zipper. His fingers slipped down inside her waist band peeling the bloody dirty fabric down her legs. Helen watched enraptured with the sight of John pulling her pants off and then tossing them away. She assumed he would just burn them and his bloody shirt later. With his help Helen was able to turn putting both of her feet in the warm water. Instantly the clean water began to turn red with the dried blood coming off of her.

"We should have taken care of this sooner." John gently wiped at the dried blood on her calf working his way up to her thigh. He tried not to see the red stain of blood on her creamy pale flesh, tried not to feel the softness, but he did and to keep himself on task John focused only on the blood. It was all he could do not to caress her skin as he cleaned away her precious blood. Dipping the cloth into the water John rang it out, rinsing free the blood. "It's going to hurt." Not looking at her, John set about the task of cleaning out the blood stopper from the wound. He had to dig at it a little. Every time he did so he could feel her flinch. Another swipe had Helen digging her fingers into his shoulder. John looked at her then.

"I'm fine." Helen immediately said through clenched teeth. She just wanted John to be finished already. With her assurances John started to clean the rest of her wound. Each pass of the cloth on her torn skin felt like sandpaper. The feeling sent shocks of pain along her nerve endings. Helen knew Jon was being as gentle as possible while cleaning her wound. She didn't know if she would have had the heart to clean it herself.

"I'm almost finished." John whispered taking the cloth to rinse it again. Soaking it in water John drizzled the water over her wound cleaning out the rest of the coagulating powder. With the rest of it washed out, John could see that he wound was healing. "Stay here while I find something to bandage this with." And then he was in the next room searching for a sheet to rip up. On the bottom of one of the shelves John found a black sheet. If she started to bleed again he wouldn't know it, but it was all he could find. Slipping out one of the knives he habitually carried John cut a long thin strip.

Helen sat on the edge of the tub feeling the warmth seep into her legs. The water in the tub was a murky red. Her raw ravaged flesh of her right thigh was looking better. Lucky for her John still knew how to tend to wounds. In the next room she heard the sound of ripping fabric and thought he was making her another makeshift bandage. "John?"

"Yes."

"You know how you said I should give a stern talking to, to the person who packs the first aide kit?" Helen asked.

"I do and you should." John appeared back in the doorway rolling up the black strip.

"Well, I can't because I was the one who packed the kit today." Helen answered. Normally she would have put in bandages but this was supposed to be a routine op. No one, not even her, was supposed to get hurt.

John smiled helping Helen to turn around. "Have you learned your lesson?" He teased leaning over her.

"I think I have." Helen whispered trying to turn and swing her legs out of the tub. She should have felt self conscience with having only her lower half clad in underwear, but this was John. He had seen her completely naked on several occasions when they had been together.

He took one of the towels and dried off the water before putting the bandage on. The bleeding had lessened but not stopped. John didn't want to leave just a bandage on her. "I don't want to take the chance the bleeding will start again." He muttered looking around the bathroom.

"What are you thinking?" Helen asked taking the towel from his hands, straightening out her right leg for him to bandage.

"I was thinking of using candle wax to seal the wound temporarily until we got home." John spoke looking around for said candles. He had seen them earlier.

"Would that work?" Helen reached out to him, cupped his face, urging him to look at her.

John let Helen turn his face, so he was looking at her. "We can't leave them any more blood to follow." He answered.

"Then a wax seal it is." Helen consented. It would hurt, but it would also keep her blood from soaking through the bandage and leave those who pursued a trail to follow straight to them.

"All right. I saw a candle in the other room." Again John was gone. On his way out he grabbed Helen's pack. Inside he had seen antibiotic ointment. That would serve as a buffer between the wax and her torn, ravaged flesh.

John rummaged through the kitchen where thought he had seen candles on his first walk through. He just had to focus. What he was about to do was going to harm Helen, was going to put her through more pain than he ever wanted. John wasn't ready to do this, but when they left tonight it would be ideal not to have her start bleeding again, leaving a blood trail. Idly as he continued to think John rubbed at the red welt on his chest. What would someone gain from cutting him off from his powers besides the obvious? It was true he was known in some parts of the world as an assassin. He had been paid well for it. During the height of the Cold War in fact he had been tasked to kill people on both sides; Russians and Americans. But why now? He could wait, put the questions aside, until there was time that they weren't being followed or Helen wasn't hurt.

While John was away Helen took the chance to stand. She wavered a moment, but otherwise was starting to gain some of her balance back. Looking down Helen got the first good look at the wound in her thigh. After having the metal fragment in her leg, Helen really shouldn't be walking. The wound was almost a through and through. Then her head started to spin. Carefully she sat on the lip of the tub. There was a small trickle of blood running down her leg again. Of all the times to be injured. Helen smiled at her fortune at being with John when she was injured. She sighed.

"Are you still alright?" John asked. He had been watching her for a few minutes. She looked lost in thought.

"Just reveling in the way the universe had intervened in my life." Helen replied. Relief filled her. Somehow this was where she was supposed to be. She never believed in fate, in the divine hand of god, but this, being here with John, felt right.

"And how did the universe do this?" John asked crouching down lighting the white candle he was able to find. The wick the burned a bright orange with the white wax melting down; it dripped into the palm of his hand.

"The universe put me here with you." Helen ran her hand down the side of his face. "I've tried fighting against it, tried to forget so many times, but in the end I get pulled right back to you." It may have been the blood loss, the exhaustion, or a million other things, but what she said was the truth. It was her heart talking, her emotions screaming at her. Helen needed this man by her side. He gave her strength.

"You know the right words to cut me right in the heart." John spoke angling the candle over her wound. "Are you ready?" He wasn't ready to get into the emotional aspect of their complicated relationship.

"Yes, the sooner the better," This was how it had to be. She knew John wasn't ready to talk; to dwell on what she had said. It was her way of forgiving him. "After you're done, I'll see what I can for you." Gently she reached out touched the still red welt on his chest. And then the pain started again with the candle wax dripping on to her skin. Rather than scream she dug her nails once again into his shoulder.


	2. Chapter 2

Summary: John and Helen walk into a trap set just for them

Disclaimer; I own nothing of Sanctuary and or John and Helen. Not a single thing.

Rating: T+

Paring; Helen/John

**DANGER FOLLOWS THEM:**

John had carried her to the bed carefully; the wax had cooled but it still hurt to move. Gently he set her down, put a pillow under her thigh and then sat on the floor besides the bed so he could stare at her. Through all of his kindness all Helen could see was the red mark on his chest; such a tiny wound that was keeping him from his powers. How could something so small cut him off from the powers he harbored for well over a hundred years? "I told you after you tended to me, I would tend to you." She reached out him touching the mark. It looked more like a mosquito bite.

John took her hand, holding it, "Rest, you can dissect this later." Exhaustion ate at him, begged him to sleep. Not until Helen rested, until she slept. If she slipped under, then he would consider it. Helen needed to rest first.

"You need to rest too." Falling back into her old feelings for him, Helen patted the bed beside her. She wanted to feel him against her again, to take some of the pain away from her, and make her forget about it while she slept. "Please. Just for a few hours can we just nap?"

"Helen…" John drew out her name. t was what he wanted the most, to share a bed with her again, but she was injured and he was confused. That was not a good combination.

"It's not like we haven't shared a bed before John. I need this and so do you." Helen reasoned. It was what she needed, what she wanted, John never stopped being in her blood. If she had more energy she would have pulled him into the bed, but as it was she was tired, her eyes were closing, and soon sleep was going to claim her.

John gazed at Helen as her eyelids closed and barely opened again. She was quickly falling asleep. Did he trust himself enough to sleep beside her? It was the middle of the day and for now they were safe. Sighing John stood up walking around the bed. He tentatively slipped down on to the bed next to her. John was just going to lie there, but Helen reached back grabbing his arm and pulling it over her waist. He had no choice by to mold his chest to her back. It felt like a slice of heaven.

**LATER IN THE EVENING:**

Helen felt so warm, so safe. Where was she? She wasn't at home and there was a very male arm resting over her waist. Then it all came back to her; all of it. She was hurt; John saved her, and tended to her wound in a graveyard, finally brining her to this deserted cabin in the woods. Now they were resting together with images of Cambodia flitting through her mind. In spite of herself Helen had felt safe then too. John was with her and they were alone. Slipping from his arms Helen hobbled on weak legs to the small bathroom to check her appearance. She was not a vain person, but she wanted to make sure there was no dirt on her or blood.

Helen looked at her reflection, paler than normal, but relatively without that much dirt. There were a few smudges on her forehead, along her jaw. Taking a few steps back Helen took stock of her entire appearance. How had she let herself get away lying next to John in only her black underwear and matching camisole? Easy, it was the blood loss and the exhaustion. Helen angled her head to look at the black bandage. Underneath it was white candle wax over her wound. It had been one of the things she had taught John to use when he had to improvise.

Hobbling back to the connecting bedroom she took a moment to watch John; to memorize him. He looked so peaceful in sleep; none of the darkness could touch him. When he woke up, all that evil would wake with him to plague their lives and make him a monster once more. Having that knowledge shattered her heart. This was John. How could someone once so good have turned into something to evil? It was that creature, the elemental inside of him that caused all of this pain. As much as Helen wanted to blame John, she had started to believe that the creature had only gotten stronger because of her and her blood.

"I dreamt you were gone." John mumbled. He was half awake but still trying to fall back in the abyss that sleep offered.

"I was, but just one room over." Helen answered gently lying back down with him. She arranged the pillow under her right leg feeling better instantly. Pressure had built up and now was being alleviated with her elevating her leg.

John opened his eyes and then instantly was up. He moved around the side of the bed so he could check Helen's bandage. But she stopped him. "Helen, let me…"

"It's fine." She muttered letting her eyelids close. They couldn't stay much longer. Outside the tiny window the sun was almost below the horizon. Helen and John would have to be dressed and fleeing through the woods once again.

Relenting John stood up. He would let Helen sleep just a little while longer, to regain more of her strength before he had her tromping through the woods again. Using his stealth he rummaged through the clothes that were in the drawers. Maybe there would be something in there that he and Helen could wear. John was none to fond of wearing bloody clothes any longer than he had to. But all theses pants were jeans, more jeans, and black t-shirts. If he had to sink as low to wear jeans then he would. At least his clothing would be waiting for him back at the sanctuary. Taking a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt John went into the small bathroom to change. He slipped off his bloody, dirt stained slacks and pulled on the jeans. They were a bit larger than he was used to but the fabric stayed on his hips. John pulled the shirt on over his head looking like a completely different person. He hated it. Montague John Druitt was a man of refined tastes, of exceptional breeding, and he was always well dressed. Wearing these cloths went against his nature, but he did it because he didn't want to be wearing blood stained clothes; Helen's blood. Shaking his head clear of those images John walked back into the small bedroom to rouse Helen once again.

Helen hadn't been truly sleeping; she couldn't. The minute John walked back into the room she was wide awake. It was she the pull he had on her senses. Gazing at him she couldn't believe her eyes, John Druitt, was wearing faded blue jeans and a black t-shirt. Helen wanted to lick her lips at just the sight of him. She had never seen him look more desirable than he did just then. If there was one thing to be said for her former lover; he did know how to wear a pair of pants.

Slowly she sat up and set her bare feet on the ground. "Time to go?" Helen asked and was wondering what she would wear. Holding her hand out Helen took John's and let him pull her up. She was still shaky, still a little weak, but the rest had afforded her time to heal. If anyone else was in her position with the same injury, they might not be walking at all. It was just another benefit of having vampire blood in her; quick healing. Helen only hoped that who ever owned this cabin wouldn't notice a couple of pairs of clothing missing. She grabbed the first pair of jeans she could and reached for the v-neck crimson t-shirt next to it. "How about my boots, are they ruined?"

John still held onto her hand, keeping her steady he responded, "The right one had blood in it. I stored all the clothes in a plastic bag. After you get dressed I'll put it in your pack and we can get going." He still had his clothes to put in the bag. But that would be done soon enough. He helped Helen back to the edge of the bed so she could sit down. Once again at the closet John grabbed hiking boots for her. Then he left her side momentarily to finish getting rid of the blood in the bathroom and packing away his bloody clothes. There was no need to leave any more evidence than they had already left.

Helen managed to get the left boot on with out much problem. She slipped her foot into the right one but it hurt to move her right leg. Her shoe went unlaced and she felt extremely ridiculous asking John to tie her shoe. So she sat there trying not to feel like a fool when he came back into the room with her backpack strap rest over his left shoulder. He smiled gently, dropping the pack to the floor, and then kneeling in front of her to tie the laces of her borrowed hiking boots. That made Helen feel like a child; a helpless little girl who could do nothing for herself. She sighed when John looped his arm around her waist to help her stand. But what calmed her was a gentle kiss to the temple; John knew how she was feeling.

**OUTSIDE:**

Dusk was upon them while the shadows of the porch allowed them to slip into the tree line. John carried the backpack and supported some of Helen's weight as he pushed them faster through the trees this time. Helen was trusting John's judgments; his sense of survival. If he said they were being followed, then they were. He was still very much the hunter, the protector he had been in the early days. Back when the five had first come together it was John who kept them safe, kept their secret from getting out. He intimidated everyone with his height and with the way he would glare at people. Only, John hadn't been cruel.

John was worried that Helen wouldn't be able to keep pace with him, but she was. He just wanted to get out of these woods and to the town that lie beyond. If they were very lucky then they would make it, find a phone, and then call for assistance from one of Helen's employee's. that is if they are lucky. Tuning out the sound of their foot steps John focused on his surroundings. He was trying to find those who perused them. John stopped and heard heavy foot falls. "We have to move faster."

"Who do you think it is?" Helen asked between breaths. She was getting tired again, but she would keep pace with John. Even if it killed her. Helen dug her fingers into the fabric of his borrowed shirt waiting for him to choose a direction. Right now he was listening, calculating his next move. She had a feeling that if they ran, those who followed would run them

"I have a feeling it is the very same people who set the trap for us." John kept looking around. About thirty feet away was a old tree, a large hole in the trunk. He could hide Helen there and wait for them to get this far. John could take them out and buy them another head start.

Helen looked where John did; she saw the same thing. Knowing what he was thinking she said, "If you feel its best." She needed to rest; her stamina was starting to wane. They had been traveling faster than she should have with this injury. But being caught wasn't what she wanted to do today.

"Are you certain?" John would only leave her side if Helen truly wished it. He knew she couldn't keep his pace forever. It was true they were more advanced than a normal human, and not fully abnormal, but even immortals had to rest eventually.

"We need another head start. You can give us that by… killing them. More will come, this I am certain, but you'll buy us time." Tightening her hold on him Helen kept pace with John as they made it to the hollowed out tree. John crouched down helping Helen in to the darkened space. She took the pack from him.

John had risen to his full height surveying the area around them. Nothing moved, no sound was made, but he knew that they were out here. He took a small step away when Helen's hand on his jeans tugged him back down. Her hands fisted in his the front of his shirt pulling him close where her lips fused to his in a hot fiery kiss. John couldn't believe it. He stopped her, even though he wanted her to continue. "Not now." John whispered stealing one final light kiss.

"Do not get killed." She ordered. Helen feared that without is teleportation, John would lose his advantage in a fight. But this was John, why should she worry? Because she still loved him. Pulling her hands from his shirt Helen reached for the hunting knife she had stashed on the side pocket of the backpack. "Here."

"How thoughtful," John purred taking the knife from her. Slipping the blade free of its sheath he turned a cold hard gaze towards the direction they had just come from. John stayed low to the ground as he moved through the underbrush. He was the hunter, not the prey. Those who dared to follow them, to try and trap them would pay dearly.

Helen kept her eyes following John's movements for as long as she could until he was completely shrouded by the under brush. She had nothing to do but wait for the tell tale sounds of death. Either John would kill quietly or he would make a game out of it, make them suffer. Helen hoped he would kill them quickly. She wanted to go home, to crawl into bed and sleep for a week while he battered body healed. Maybe, just maybe, she could have John curl around her and keep her warm.

John let his body go deathly still, melding to his surroundings. He gripped the large hunting knife so the tip was pointing down. When the time came he would use it the best way he knew; he would kill those who followed and leave the bodies for all the wild animals that were close by. John, as an animal himself, could feel them all. This was the one part of the creature that never left him, the instincts.

Just feet from where John had hidden himself five black clad figures poured out of that shadows. They looked like shadows themselves, but that wouldn't stop John from killing them all. He waited and waited. They would make a mistake, they would come close to him, and he would slit their throats. One of them stopped mere inches from where John hid. He just waited for the others to turn away. Patience was called for, demanded when one was on the hunt to eliminate a threat. They were a threat.

The other four turned away. John stood without a sound. Quickly he grabbed the man near him, clamped his hand down over his mouth, and took him down to the ground driving the knife through his heart feeling it stop. Not a sound was made. Moving through the shadows, through the brush John eliminated each one in turn. One by one each man died. Each man bled out on the ground until only John and his bloody knife stood.

To satisfy his curiosity John went to the nearest man he had killed and pulled of the mask. This man he had seen in several occasions following him. But it was only lately that the man had stopped. John had noticed him the day he began stalking Dana Whitcomb. Had he just drawn Helen into his private war with the remaining Cabal loyalists? John hoped not. There had to be more of them out in the woods somewhere. Searched the dead man John found a radio, a 9mm gun, and a few clips of ammo. Helen could use those. Taking them John hurried back to her.

Helen huddled into John's blood stained jacket she had pulled out. It had gotten cooler and she was starting to shiver. Once she was up and moving again she would probably be sweating bullets, but for right now she was cold and she was starting to get restless. There were no sounds that she could hear. John wasn't playing with them. Hopefully he would be back soon and they could get back to the Sanctuary.

John moved through the trees and back to Helen. He didn't stop to explain. Hauling her out of the dead tree John brought her tight in against his side and set off running again. The Cabal was back. It was enough to bother John and that was bad. "We have to move faster." John growled.

"What's going on?" Helen asked trying to keep up. Something was wrong, and it wasn't that John had just killed, but it was something else. Using all of her strength Helen made John stop. "Tell me." She had to know what he saw, who he killed on her order.

John looked down at the found, up at the dark trees, everywhere but at Helen. This may have been his fault. He had killed Dana, butchered her in his rage over the loss of his only child; the child he never got to know. John should have known better than to assume he had been an unseen assassin this whole time. "They were Cabal soldiers." He turned to her, cupped her face and said again, "Cabal." John backed away from her dropping his hands trying to gain breath. He hadn't annihilated them all. The fanatics were still around. They were like a disease, a plague that would haunt them all.

"Tell me it's not true." Helen's world just turned upside down. The Cabal. It couldn't be. John had killed them all. He had killed them on her word, her command. She wanted them all dead for what they had done to Ashley, not her network. Helen wanted them to suffer like she was suffering and the best way to do that was by unleashing the Ripper on all of them. John had done his job all to well.

"I can't." He answered keeping his back to her. There was nothing he could do about it now. More would be coming. Just five men for the two of them was an insult. John knew there was going to be more. "We have to go. More will be coming." Holding out his hand to Helen, John hoped she would continue to trust him.

She took his hand, feeling a circuit in her complete. John was still hers, still meant to be with her. "I trust you." Those words had been sticking in her throat for months. In the end she would trust John, give him some measure of power over her and her heart. He was always with her, always on her mind, and he was still in her heart. There was no cutting him out, no matter how hard she had tried to forget him with James. But that hadn't happened. James had hurt just as much as she had over John. There was passion between them, but now the inferno of fire and heated desire she had known with John.

John couldn't allow himself to be stunned, not yet at least. First he had to get Helen to safety. That was the more important issue at hand. They had to clear the woods and find a place they could call for Helen's people. "That means everything to me." He replied bring her once again in close to his body. They could move slower now that he had eliminated some of the men sent after them. That wouldn't be the case in a few hours. But for now John would go at a pace that Helen could and that meant they were going to go slow.

**24 HOUR ROAD SIDE DINER:**

John was on his last burst of energy as he hauled Helen with him through the last stretch of woods. His chest heaved with all the extra breath he was taking in. It would have been easier for him to have his powers, but now that he didn't he felt oddly… mortal. And that didn't sit well with him. Beside him Helen was just as out of breath as he was. They would have to find somewhere for her to rest and for John to check her bandage. He was sure that it would be bleeding by now. Just inside the tree line John saw bright neon lights for a twenty four diner. Was it a good idea to take Helen and himself out into the open like that? It was then that his stomach chose to rumble with a need for food. That was that. They were going to get something to eat.

Helen took the time to catch her breath. She was hungry and tired of walking. All she wanted to do was sit. The smell of food was teasing her, making her hungrier. she was letting John make the choices because she knew he would make the safest ones. He would never let any harm come to her intentionally and she trusted that. Still, that did not make her hunger abate. It was then that she heard his stomach rumble with the need to eat and she knew that they would be taking temporary refuge in the diner. As John took a step she stayed still. He turned to her using only his eyes to ask what was wrong. "Are you sure we should be in the open like this?"

"We'll be fine and we need to eat something. Though, I doubt what they cook can be called food." John smiled. She needed the reassurance, needed his smile. As long as he kept his spirits up then Helen would be fine. "I won't let anything happen to you." John promised. It was a promise he would keep with his last breath. Easing his hold on her just a bit John waited for Helen to take the first step. Fear was not in her nature, but she was injured and that made her cautious. Helen took that first step with John moving with her, anticipating her movements. They made it across the road, traffic was virtually non existent. When the hobbled into the parking lot they saw and attached motel off the back of the diner and thanked God for their luck. Helen just hoped that it held out through the rest of the night.

As discreetly as they could Helen and John walked in the front of the diner. There were a few patrons, truckers, but no one paid them any attention. Helen felt some of her guard falter. Just so long as no one noticed them they would be fine. Together they found a booth at the back where they sat and let out a sigh of relief. She was so hungry that it didn't matter what type of food they serve here, Helen would eat it. Before she decided on the food, she would have to dig out the fake ID's and money she had stashed in the lining of the pack. Some old habits we harder to break than others. Helen was careful not to look at John as she ripped the seams along the front pocket.

"Helen, what are you doing?" John watched as she pulled out a black wallet. Helen opened it sifting through the cards, the cash, and the ID in the clear plastic holder. This woman was nothing if not prepared. At least they wouldn't have to worry about paying for a meal. Glancing away from her John scanned the rest of the diner and those within. He needed to know who was a threat and what the exits were.

"It's an old habit I acquired during World War Two." It was also how she perfected her forgery skills. The papers she had cooked up for her and James had been by her hand and had saved them many times. "At least I'll have an ID to book us a room when we're done here." Helen masked her British accent with a more American sounding one.

"Ah," John muttered. He looked down at the table menu waiting. There was nothing really to say about WWII, well nothing really that wouldn't keep them from getting into an argument and John was tired of fighting Helen.

"John, I didn't…" Helen sighed slumping down in the booth. She shouldn't have said anything about it. As much pain as she had been over John, him knowing about the relationship she had with James was bound to still gnaw at him. "I'm sorry." She whispered catching his gaze.

"I understand," In truth he didn't, and he didn't want to understand. Helen had been his woman, his lover, and James had been his best friend. Having the knowledge that they were together made his head hurt and what was left of his heart break. It killed him to know that he hadn't been there for Helen; that he had turned on her.

A waitress came to their table, "What can I do for you two?" she asked with order book in hand. While she waited she took the time to take in her customers; they were covered in scratches. "Are you two alright?"

"We're fine." John answered. "Are car broke down a ways back and as we were walking my wife fell." He looked to Helen. Lying came naturally to him as it did to her. "I'm just glad we came to this establishment so we could get a hot meal and find somewhere to rest and call for a tow."

"Oh you poor thing," The waitress turned to the brunette, "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, just twisted my ankle when I fell. It was so stupid, we were yelling and then I'm not watching where I'm going and the next thing I'm tumbling down to the ditch. I felt ridiculous." Helen answered keeping with the falling story. She had actually thought of something along those lines should someone ask about their appearance. John just beat her to it.

"Do you need an ice pack?" The waitress offered.

"No, but we would like two turkey sandwiches with lettuce and tomatoes' please." Helen ordered for them. She smiled sweetly putting the waitress at ease hoping that she would move away soon.

"Ok, and I'll bring you some hot tea on the house." The waitress wrote it all down on her order ticket before mentioning. "If you two need a place to crash in, there is a motel attached to the back of the diner. It will be open all night and there are rooms available." She moved off before more could be said.

John waited until he was sure the waitress was out of ear shot before saying, "Now we know we can get a room. All we have to do is plan our next move."

"No, what we need to do is call Will. He'll be able to come and get us." Helen leaned back closing her eyes. She couldn't tell what she was feeling more; hunger or exhaustion.

"And how long do you think it will take dear William to come and get us?" John asked getting up to sit next to Helen. He wrapped his arm around her allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder. She needed some comfort, something familiar. Whether she liked it or not John was a comfort to her.

"I do not know," Helen replied, sleep muddling her words. "But…" she yawned, "We have to call him. I have to let him know that we're ok, and that it was a trap." If she wasn't careful she was going to fall asleep even before she got a chance to eat. Helen had to sit up, had to pull away from John's warmth. He was so comfortable.

"Don't go to sleep on me," John said playfully running his hand up and down her arm felling goose bumps break out along her skin. He knew she was tired; it was mostly his own doing. John had pushed her harder than her injury should have allowed and yet, Helen had kept up with him.

Helen laughed, couldn't help but to bury her face in the crook of his shoulder and giggle. She hadn't giggled in years. It would all be on account of her exhaustion and leg wound. Whatever happened out here Helen would just blame it on that. At least that is what she would tell herself later on. "I think I might be too tired to eat." She mumbled.

John kept running his hand up and down her arm. He wasn't going to fight her; he was going to let her sleep. Helen needed the rest when and where she could get it. John kept his eyes out for trouble. He wouldn't let it creep up on them, not without a fight. Some time later, John didn't know how long, the waitress was back with their food and hot tea. She only smiled at the sleeping Magnus and muttered, "I called back to the desk and there is a room waiting for you. If you want to head back to the motel part I'll have your food sent down directly." John didn't know what to make of the woman's kindness. He smiled gently at her and then slipped out of the booth where he gently picked Helen up and carried her to the motel.

**2:30AM**

John had been awake, pacing as he normally did, while Helen spelt peacefully on the bed. He had kept the curtains drawn, the lights off and his hand on the hunting knife. For the last fifteen minutes John had been feeling ill at ease again. It was the same feeling he had when they had been followed in the woods earlier. Could the remaining Cabal really muster such forces as to continue to hunt them? John had culled them to with and inch of their miserable lives. Those whom he hadn't killed had gone into hiding. How many more men did they really plan to send against him and Helen?

What was he going to do? _Call the sanctuary!_ The last shred of his sanity demanded. Helen would have done it had she not fallen asleep. Going to the antiquated phone John dialed the number he knew by heart but never used. He listened to the dial tone waiting for someone to pick up. Idly John wondered who would actually pick up the phone. And eternity later the phone was answered. "Sanctuary." A gruff voice filled John's ear. It was Helen's man servant.

"It's Druitt." He indulged in a nervous twitch he had broken himself of years before. John rubbed the knuckle of his thumb over his eyebrow. "We were ambushed. There was no abnormal."

"Is Magnus alright?" Helen's Man servant growled into the phone causing John to pull the receiver away from his ear.

"A few scrapes and bruises, but relatively unharmed. She's sleeping now." John sighed. His body was tired, weary from running. He was at the end of his proverbial rope.

"Where are you?"

"The Hemadulus," John growled.

"The what?"

"The Hemadulus. The back of beyond. The bloody middles of no where." John had to keep himself from shouting. For near to thirty years John had spent most of his time in South Africa , learning the language of the Afrikaans. "Can't you just trace this call?" He asked, his civility straining, about to break. When her man servant sighed on the other end of the phone John's calm broke. He slammed the receiver down in the cradle and kicked the desk out of frustration growling.

Helen came out of a sound sleep feeling John's rage boil through the air. It crackled around her until she could almost see the waves pouring off of him. "John?" She asked still in the grips of sleep. It wasn't his rage tat she was worried about, she was worried about him. He had to constantly be on guard around her. John had to stay in control of hi emotions. If his anger got out of control then that thing inside of him only got stronger. She knew this. It was the one reasons she sent him against the remaining Cabal. John had been drowning in rage.

Looking back to the bed, John should have known better. He had to keep his emotions in check as much for Helen as for himself. That creature inside of him only got stronger the more his rage was allowed to control him. When he was around Helen his very being was in a constant state of war. At any given time he would want to reach out and touch her, stroke her cheek, but he couldn't because he didn't know if that gesture would turn violent and Helen would be harmed. "I didn't mean to wake you." John leaned back against the cheap dresser.

"Did you call Will?" Helen asked sitting up even though she didn't want to. She wanted to curl up and go back to sleep.

"You man servant answered the phone." John tried in vain not to growl those words. He was not an animal, he was not inhuman. John would act in a civilized manner; he was a gentlemen.

"And you felt compelled to kick the desk because?" Helen was starting to wake up more now that she was talking. More than anything she wanted to help calm John down. He had already done so much for her.

"I don't know." John snapped. "I'm frustrated, and angry, and sick of being the hunted." Placing his hand flat on the dresser John turned from Helen. She didn't need to see the anger rising in him. The fight for control was the hardest and it was also the main reason he stayed away from her unless she called for him.

Helen went to him, wrapped her arms around his body. "This is not your fault John."

John rounded on Helen cupping her face, but not hurting her. "This is my fault. I killed that bitch Whitcomb."

"You killed her?" Helen asked not needing the confirmations. She knew John had. It was in his nature.

"I did what you wanted! What you needed me to do!" John shouted tearing himself away from her.

"I'm not blaming you…" Helen lowered her head.

"I always do what you can not, what we need to stay safe." John stalked to her. "I am the only one who can keep us safe." He always did what the others wouldn't, what Nikola was too squeamish to do; he killed. John always killed for them, for Helen.

"You always to protect me," Helen stated, her voice cracking under the emotions welling up in her. She went to him again using her arms to hold him. Slowly John started to shake, sliding down her body to wrap his arms around Helen's waist. This was his long over due break down. "You always keep me safe." Helen said holding him as close as she could. She had run from John once, but not again. It nearly killed her the first time and this time she would not survive it.


	3. Chapter 3

Summary: John and Helen walk into a trap set just for them

Disclaimer; I own nothing of Sanctuary and or John and Helen. Not a single thing.

Rating: T+

Paring; Helen/John

**DANGER FOLLOWS THEM:**

Helen had slid down the wall with John's arms still wrapped around her waist. She sat on the floor with him while she continued to shudder and shake, fighting back his tumultuous wave of emotions that had been building for so many years. Helen had already had her break down so long ago that she was ready for John's. She was here for him in what ever way he needed her to be. For right now he was holding onto her for dear life and she let him. This was what he needed to finally let go. And she needed to be here when it happened to be able to forgive him. Helen needed to forgive John.

John didn't know whether to be scared or angry at his own inability to control his emotions. Helen was holding him, letting him hold her, while he fought for some measure of control. Inside of him waging war were equal amounts of guilt, shame, anger, and rage. He had felt like this once before, back when he had been dying, sick with fever and not knowing what was happening to him. At that time John thought that his body was rejecting the blood. It felt as if his body was going to tear itself apart. Then Helen was there giving him her blood, the healing elixir of her longevity. That was what turned him into the arms of rage. The creature inside of him grew stronger and stronger. Now John had a chance to atone for that. He sank down further into the arms of shame, letting the guilt wash through him. It was then that he felt his face dampen with silent tears; tears that had waited so long to be shed over the evil he had done. While the war raged on inside of him John let himself slip into the black oblivion of sleep. Hopefully when he woke up that creature would be gone from him.

Helen sat with him rubbing small circles on his back. She thought that it was almost over, but that couldn't be more wrong. Just for a second his whole body stopped, he stopped breathing, just went still. In the next instance John convulsed violently. Helen managed to get him to his side. She didn't have anything for his seizure; John would have to get through it. Then something happened she didn't expect. His body started to phase in and out while still staying with her. "John!" Helen shouted. She didn't know what to do. Being helpless was not something Helen enjoyed, but in this she had no choice. John had to fight this battle alone.

She watched him phase in and out. Just when she thought it had stopped she saw that thing, that energy elemental fighting to reintegrate within him. "John, you have to stay with me… please…" she was close to crying, wanting to reach out to him, but not being able to. He convulsed harder with the creature trying to retain a hold of his form. John phased one more time and Helen thought he wouldn't come back. Then John reappeared with that thing hovering above him. She could feel the hate. Helen watched the energy elemental and she could almost feel it watching her. It knew her because John knew her. Keeping her eyes on the creature Helen felt along the floor for John's hand. At least she could touch him now. An ear splitting scream filled the tiny room and the creature vanished. Helen took in a deep breath of air. She hadn't realized that she was holding her breath. Did this mean John was free? Was he back? Settling down next to him Helen gently cupped his face and waited, just waited or him to wake up.

**9:00AM**

John felt battered, bruised, and sick to his stomach. Something inside of him was off kilter. The last thing he remembered was feeling a deep well of shame rise up inside of him before his body, his soul, turned into a battle ground. Now he felt oddly calm like he had the last time the creature had fled his body. Was it gone for good? Was this his freedom? John opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was Helen, asleep on the floor next to him with her hand down between them. She was still the angel of mercy she had been all those years ago. Reaching out gently he pushed a stray strand of dark brown hair out of her face. At one time she had been a blonde, a Nordic beauty with her blue eyes and golden hair. John had instantly fallen in love and he was doing so again.

Waking up more, John let his senses expand to encompass the room they were still in. Nothing was out of the ordinary, no feeling of being the hunted, but he did feel the urgency to leave, the need for more distance. Still they would have to leave soon. He was loath to wake Helen up, she looked too peaceful sleeping, and yet he would have to so they could be on the move. John didn't want to be caught in this tiny room with no way to escape. Continuing to lie on the floor John stretched out his arms, arching his back. That had never felt as good as it had right then. It was as if he was stretching for the first time as a free man, free of the demon that had plagued his soul since he began using his power.

Idly John scratched at the spot above his heart where the dart had pieced his flesh. There was still that tiny raised bump, and the ever present block to his power, but none of that rage and hate demanded to be free. There was no need to kill, to take human life. He rolled to his side once more running his index finger down the bridge of her nose. She used to love that when he did that to her. "Helen, wake up…" bracing himself on his forearm he kissed her forehead. He wanted her scrunch up her nose bringing her hand up to rub at her forehead.

Helen opened her eyes staring straight into the smiling face of John. Before he had always woken up before her, and now was no different. She was greeted with his dazzling smile that conveyed the gentleness that had been his nature before his rocky descent into darkness. Overwhelming warmth swelled her heart. She was truly seeing John; her John. Was this really happening? "John?"

"Who did you think it would be?" John teased lightly. Before, he would have had to be on guard constantly keeping his emotions in check. Now, he didn't feel the need to protect her from his raging emotions. John was in control; he was himself again.

"After what happened…" She sat up turning her back to him. This was all too good to be true, like it had been when they had been locked together. Then, his warmth was around her, his arms bringing her back into his body, offering her shelter. It mended her heart and broke it all at once. She would get so used to him being this calm, so rational, and then what would happen when the darkness took him again? Would she have to go through all this pain again? Could she survive it?

"What did you see?" John inquired. He had been unconscious for it all. The only way he knew something happened at all was with the tell tale aches and pains he was feeling. Never had he felt so old and it had nothing to do with him being in his 160's.

"I saw that energy elemental leave your body, but I don't know if it's back inside you or it…" Helen turned to John, "I don't know." She wanted to badly to trust him. Only, that was an accident waiting for a place to happen. How man times had to she put her faith in John only to have him start killing again. Would now be so different? Helen hoped it would. Life was hard enough, days were too long, there were too many things happening. When she was with John it all faded away, her burden lightened. "Is it really you?" She finally asked cupping his face, stroking his cheeks with her thumbs.

"It's me," John had been dying to say those words, to mean them. He had a taste of serenity months ago, wasn't ready for it, but had that taste, and wanted it again. This time he was ready for that peace, ready for what he could be again with Helen. "I will never leave you again." John made it a promise, but could he keep it? He had broken all the others he had made her. There was so much pain between them, so much hurt, that john wasn't sure if he could keep doing this to her. If he had enough sense then he could leave her, let her move on. But he wasn't willing to leave Helen. She was the one woman in all of creation that had been his gift from god. If he let her go now then he would cause them both immense pain. John couldn't do that to her.

She turned into his embrace. Helen kept John's arms around her, wanted to feel him for as long as she could. This time she hoped she could keep him just this way; sane and in control. If anything, Helen was too old to keep having her heart broken by John no matter how much she loved him. All she had the power to do was hold him close, hold him to her, and remember.

John was speechless. Helen was holding on to him for dear life, but it felt different. It was as if she was waiting for him to prove her wrong. She was waiting for him to turn back into the monster that had plagued her for so long. There was no way he was going to torment her in that way ever again. John was free and he would remain so. More would come later and John wanted to weather that storm with her. He wanted to be with her.

_Click!_

The sound was thunder resounding around the room, around Helen and John. On instinct John reached for the hunting knife while Helen went for the gun. She aimed the gun at the door, just waiting for it to open. It should have felt odd, being on the floor with John, his arms around her and her arms draped over his shoulders. Helen made her mind go blank, let coldness over take her soul. The door opened and Helen barely had time to hide her gun. It was the waitress from the attached diner.

"Sorry to disturb you," she said apologetically. "But we needed to know if you noticed any power surges while you were in here?"

Helen shook her head, "No, sorry we haven't." She carefully untangled her arms from John, securing her gun in the back waistband of her pants. "We were kind of pre-occupied." Helen once again wrapped her arms around John's neck as he picked her up. His strength never ceased to amaze her. Then Gently John set her on the edge of the bed

"Oh, you poor dear." The waitress splayed her hand over her heart. "How are you feeling?"

"Just fine," Helen answered, "I got up too fast." Using her best dazzling smile Helen hoped the kind waitress bought her story.

"A good night's sleep can do wonders." The woman smiled in return. "If you like, I can send some breakfast up for you and your husband."

"We have friends coming to collect us." John answered gently. "No time for breakfast. But if we are ever in this area again my wife and I will definitely have to stop in here again." He smiled sweetly. When he wanted he could be charming.

"Well," the waitress flushed. "We'll be glad for the business." She hurried out of the room.

Helen fixed him with an inquisitive glare, "Did you have to do that?" If she had been standing she would have put her hands on her hips to emphasize her question.

John gave her a shrug, "Do what?" He produced the hunting knife and sheath. Securing the knife to the small of his back, on the waist band John pulled the t-shirt over it while still looking at Helen. John knew what she meant, but he wanted to hear her say it.

"That devilish smile of yours," Helen pulled out the gun and checked the clip. "It was the only smile that would have made her blush that way." Helen wanted to add, 'even at her age' but she didn't. It would have come off condescending since she was well over 159 years old.

"Because she's so young?" John replied knowing Helen's line of thought. It was on his mind too; their advanced age. They could perceivably see many ages of this world while people around them grew old and died.

"My love," Helen reached out and placed her hand on his abs digging her fingers into his shirt, "Everyone is young compared to us." She drew her hand back when John crouched down in front of her.

"This is only the beginning for us." John took her hands in his, "It's all going to be new and exciting again." Rather than take her lips, kiss her as he wanted to, John placed a gentle kiss to the back of her hands. They had time now. John could feel that. He was free and he would remain so. John would never get pulled down into the darkness that that creature had forced him in to. Never would he kill for the pleasure, for the sport of it. John would only kill if Helen was threatened. That was if she wanted him to kill.

**OUTSIDE:**

As quick as they could Helen and John left the motel hoping that that creature wouldn't somehow be able to follow them. She was averse to any more walking and was about to suggest borrowing a car when John went over to a four door pick up truck testing the door. "Who was it just a two days ago was telling me how breaking and entering was illegal. Now you want to steal this truck?"

"_Legano Li Legano_…" John muttered in Italian testing the door handle. It opened and he slid in behind the wheel. Slipping the knife out of its sheath John used the blade to cut two of the wires he would need to start the car without aide of the keys.

"You know how to hotwire a car?" Helen asked. John just gave her a droll stare. She threw her hands in the air and leaned against the side of the truck. A few seconds later she heard the engine sputter then roar to life. Looking at John smiled going around to the passenger side to get in. she stowed the pack on the floor and used it to prop her right leg up. There was a deep throbbing where her wound was, but she knew that it was still knitting together.

"I was around when the first car was invented." John put the truck into gear speeding out of the parking lot. He wanted to get as much distance between them and the diner, and the dead bodies in the woods as he could. Every instinct he still possessed demanded that they leave. John wasn't a fool enough to ignore his gut. That feeling had saved his life many times in the past and that instinct had nothing to do with the creature.

Helen buckled her seat belt, "Yes, as was I, but I never thought you took the time to learn." Honestly, it felt good to be driving. She hoped that they would be at her Sanctuary soon. Even from this distance Helen swore she could hear her bed calling her name.

"I did learn even though it was pointless considering my limitless power." He looked at her out of the corner of his eye; she was watching the scenery. "I bet you're glad I did." John hated driving but he would if forced to. Losing his powers was definitely fate forcing him to do something he hated to do.

Helen's response was to reach over and rest her hand on his jean clad thigh. She was grateful for many things, right now John was at the top of the list. But she would be even happier when she reached the front doors of her home, climbed into her bed, go to bed and sleep for a solid week.

John drove and drove and drove until the sun started to sink to the horizon. He would need to rest soon. Earlier in the day Helen had slid over next to him resting her head on his shoulder. He in turn had lowered his arm to wrap it around her waist. She was still healing her injury and the more sleep she got the faster she would heal. John pulled over onto the shoulder along the highway and parked. Keeping Helen at his side John shifted so he could stretch out and grab some sleep.

John let his mind sink down in the darkness of sleep. Last night he had passed out, but he hadn't slept; hadn't rested and he was so tired. Taking a few hours for rest wasn't going to damage their chances of escaping the Cabal remnants. John still had the skills of a hunter, but he had lost the will, the compulsion to use them unless he needed to. It was what he always wanted. This was his freedom; this was his chance with Helen again. With his last shred of consciousness John scanned the area immediately around the vehicle. There was nothing that could come out of the darkness to get them while they rested. John sighed leaning his head back where sleep took him.

Helen woke later, woke to the sounds of al the night creatures; even and owl. She had been asleep in the truck and now so was John. Angling her body Helen took in the sight of him, so peaceful, so content. If she wasn't who she was, then she would have thought him a normal man, just a human. But it wasn't that simple. John and Helen were far from the simple life of having a home, growing old together. She would never get old and neither would John. His body was basically pure energy when he used his power; nearly limitless. And it was her blood that kept him alive. Even as much as the thought sickened her, Helen would never deny him her blood. Not if it meant keeping him with her.

She wasn't tired any more, but she wasn't willing to leave the warmth and comfort of his body. It still had such a power of her, just the comfort she could gain from. When Helen was in John's arms she felt like she had come home. He was her haven. As slow as she could Helen settled back into his side. Even in an unconscious state John moved with her, conformed to her. They were still perfectly matched. "I never have to fear being with you." She whispered bringing his arms around her. Helen smiled as a funny thought flitted through her mind. She was cuddling with Jack the Ripper. The thought wasn't that funny, but that didn't stop her body from shaking with the laughter. Then it made her think of what Nikola had said to her, "_You have Sasquatch as a butler. You travel the world with histories most __notorious serial killer__. And now you don't feel safe?_" Though, how could one really feel safe trapped in a room with two hungry vampires and she was the only snack.

As Helen continued to shake from the laughter John's arms tightened around her automatically. He had used to do that in sleep when she had been awake, when her mind wouldn't shut down. John just held her closer then as he did now. She was still truly his. At one time that realization would have bothered her, would have made her run from him, but now… She didn't know now. What she had see last night and this morning and when she had been hurt was all her former lover; the man who loved her more than life.

"You're laughing," John slurred his voice thick with sleep. It was good to feel her laughter instead of her anger.

"Just, this is better than what has happened to me lately." Helen answered snuggling into his arms more. This was a part of her past that she never thought that she would ever get back. John made her feel so safe. She had been craving the feeling of his arms for far too long already.

"The injury? The running though the woods? Being carried into a motel room?" John asked. he was trying to wake up, but also trying to remain in sleeps wonderful clutches.

"This is better than being trapped in a tomb with two hungry vampires." Helen sat up so she could look into his clear blue eyes. John's eyes had always captivated her, just as his height, his strong arms, and the midnight black of his hair. All of it had held her attention to the point she had spent most of her time staring at him. It was instant lust with John that turned to love, turned to a sharing of souls. It was cliché to say he was her soul mate, but he was She didn't know why it was he she had chosen, but even as much pain as he caused her, Helen was still glad that it was John she had taken, claimed at her lover.

John sat up, sleep falling from his eyes, from his body, as this news rocked his mind. "When was this?" He was all concern, all protection; her eternal bodyguard.

"About a month ago, Nikola and I were searching for an old Praxian strong, which turned out to be a vampire tomb." Helen gave him a light smile, but that didn't chase the panic, the concern from his eyes. It was good to see those emotions in his eyes again.

"Why did you not tell me about this?" John knew better than to ask; only he could not call the words back now that they were spoken. To his eyes Helen seemed unfazed by his question.

"Because, you would have immediately gone after Nikola and he is a vampire again. You would have gotten hurt." Helen reached out to John laying her hands on his chest. "I can't bear to see you hurt." 'Even when you're hurting me.' She thought but kept it out of her eyes. John knew how to read the truth from her eyes.

"He would have tried." John responded arrogantly idly scratching at his chest where the dart had been. Even though he couldn't feel what ever was in there John knew that there was something keeping him from his power, keeping him human. He hated it.

"He would have succeeded. I injected with blood from the Queen." Helen took his hand in hers, "Stop scratching."

"I can't help it." John grumbled completely ignoring the fact that Helen had made Nikola vampire again. "It's like I can feel it under my skin keeping me like this." Taking his hand back he laid it over the welt that was still red and irritated on his skin.

"The sooner we get to the Sanctuary to sooner…"

"We can curl up in a large bed and sleep for a week?" John asked smiling at her.

"For starters, yes." A warm smile appeared on her lips and it was all for John. It was one of those smiles that he could invoke from her; the kind that went all the way to her eyes. "But also, so we can find out what turned you into a mere mortal."

"I haven't felt this way for a long time." John sighed. "I don't remember being human. This feeling is peaceful, calm, but…" He closed his eyes drawing in a deep breath, "Honestly I miss the chaos, just a little bit. But if that creature is truly gone, then I do not want it back if that means I can have you again."

"In my heart, I was still yours. It was just…"

"I know…" John placed his index finger over her lips to quiet the next words that would spill from her lovely lips.

Movement caught John's eyes making him look at the rearview mirror. "Headlights," John whispered. Together he and Helen sank down the length of the front seat of the truck, hoping that the oncoming vehicle would just pass them by and think nothing more of them. John didn't have a sense of danger, at least not yet.

Helen settled her body over John as much as she could. It minded her too much of the way they used to sleep together. Though, John used to sleep on his stomach with her at his side and her head pillowed on his shoulder blade. Then the sound of a vehicle came barreling past them. She thought they were in the clear when the sound of screeching breaks broke the silence of the night. "Damnit." Helen whispered.

"We can make a break for it. The woods are just on the other side of the ditch." John whispered.

"Are you sure?" Helen asked. She was already moving back to feel for the handle of the passenger side door. Her other hand reached for the back pack.

"Go," John growled. He was sliding over the seat to follow her. Helen opened the door as quietly as she could and then let her body fall out of the cab of the truck to the ground. John heard a small cry of pain. She must have landed on her bad leg. Following her, John fell to the ground next to her and together they made a break for the tree line with the large truck as cover.

In the woods John brought Helen in close to his side going down to the ground for more cover under the brush. Flash lights searched the truck then scanned over the tree line. He just hoped that who ever it was didn't actually come after them. Keeping calm John waited making a plan to either fight or run with Helen. He had the knife and she the gun. If it cam to it Helen could always shoot at them should they choose to pursue them into the dark part of the woods.

"What are we going to do?" Helen whispered next to John. She saw the sweeps of the flash light beams on the ground and they were getting closer. She didn't want to get into a fire fight nor did she want to keep running. But those were the only two options left to them.

"For now we stay and blend as much as possible." John answered keeping his eyes on the dark figures coming closer and closer. This was beginning to wear John's patience thin. He was tired of being the hunted, but he was also tired of having to kill his enemies just to keep him and Helen safe. There was enough blood on his hands.

A third flash light beam passed right in front of them. Then on the return sweep it stopped just short of Helen's hand. She sucked in a quick breath holding it until the beam disappeared. If they moved now they would be caught for certain. She wasn't going to risk it. All Helen could do was hope and pray like hell that who ever had the flashlight pulled back. Another few seconds and the beam moved away. She still didn't dare to let out the breath she was holding. Muffled voices reached them. the people were moving off.

John dropped his head down to the ground as Helen let out a long slow sigh. "That was close." He muttered to the ground. If something ever happened to Helen when he was with her John would never forgive himself. Beside him she tensed, full body. He turned his face to look at her, "What is it?"

"Ahh…" the sound was weak, strangled by the irrational fear going through her, "There is a spider on my shoulder and not one of those small, thin ones. It's one of the big ones…" She would have shuddered in disgust if she hadn't been so grossed out.

"This from the woman the woman who deals dangerous abnormals for a living," John asked looking at her right shoulder. She wasn't wrong about the spider, but to him it looked harmless. Then again, Helen had always had a phobia about spiders. Slowly slipping the knife out of the sheath he then quickly scarped the spider off of her. "All gone."

"Abnormals are different, spiders are….. spiders," She did that full body shiver. "Can we get out of here now?" She asked when John went to his feet offering her his hands.

"Yes," John helped Helen up and then pulled her close. He ran his hands up and down her arms to chase away the feeling she had when the spider was on her.

Helen turned her face into his chest shuddering again, "That was the most unpleasant thing to happen to me tonight. I liked it better when we were in the truck." Wrapping her arms around his waist they set off back towards the truck.


	4. Chapter 4

Summary: John and Helen walk into a trap set just for them

Disclaimer; I own nothing of Sanctuary and or John and Helen. Not a single thing.

Rating: T+

Paring; Helen/John

**DANGER FOLLOWS THEM:**

**VAN:**

**WILL AND KATE:**

"Ok, so they weren't at the abandoned truck." Kate mentioned keeping her eyes glued to the side of the road. "Nothing looked wrong with it, I wonder where they are?" she had been hoping that they would find Magnus with Druitt at the stolen black truck they found on the side of the road. all they found were tracks leading into the woods, but other than that nothing. It was getting too dark to search for much longer. Soon the team would have to head back to the Sanctuary.

"Radio Henry and the Big Guy and tell them we had no luck." Will drove and tried to sort through everything they had found. At first when they heard nothing from Magnus and Druitt they had come out here and went straight for the coordinates. When they went in the building the Big Guy immediately saw the blood trail heading out of the back of the building. He followed it to a cemetery, then to a cabin deep in the woods. After that he was still able to follow the trail leading them all to five dead bodies. Will still couldn't make sense of what happened.

"What happens if we can't find them?" Kate asked. she hadn't wanted to, but she needed to know. Life at the Sanctuary had drawn Kate in, given her a home, and now she had a life there. Magnus was important to Kate, so much so that even thinking about the Doc being hurt tore Kate up inside.

"They'll get to the Sanctuary, but slower since one of them is hurt. The diner was a complete bust, but we do know they were there." Will answered. He reached over and took Kate's hand out of a need for touch. He knew what this was doing to her. She had grown so much apart of their lives, and the trust Magnus put in Kate was important to her. "For now we keep driving." Will sent a smile her way and let Kate continue to hold his hand.

**VAN:**

**HENRY AND BIGGIE:**

"This is crazy." Henry growled in frustration kicking the dashboard. The four of them had split up looking for Magnus and Druitt but so far nothing had turned up on them since the motel. Henry and the Big Guy had scented blood, but they couldn't find any in the room.

"We'll find them," Biggie responded feeling Henry's anger boiling through the van. It was more than a little distracting as he drove, but he wasn't going to say anything as Henry would gain control of himself. Henry needed the time to be angry and worried. He knew how he was feeling because he was worried about Magnus alone with Druitt.

"I hope we find them soon and I hope the Doc is ok." Henry grumbled slouching in his seat to watch the side of the road on the off chance that he saw movement. He was trying in earnest not to shudder from the scent of her blood still in his nose.

**TRUCK:**

**HELEN AND JOHN:**

Out of concern John kept his arm around Helen's waist and her arm over his shoulder. He knew she was on the mend, healing faster than a human should, be she was still injured. John had plenty of strength to spare from untapped reserves. He just hoped they didn't run out soon. "We'll keep driving and when we get to Old City we'll abandon the truck and then continue on foot to the Sanctuary." John decided taking careful steps up the steep embankment.

"Sounds like a solid plan." Helen agreed. She wasn't going to argue with John. After the Cabal soldiers that had hunted them in the woods, she definitely wasn't going to argue. Helen found it oddly relaxing to lean on him, to let him be the strong one for a while. There wasn't a day that went by when people were constantly clawing at her, asking for her attention. It was part of her job. Yet, John taking charge gave her the chance to relax despite the gaping hole in her right thigh. Helen couldn't help but smile at the. The last time she had been injured on a mission was during her time trapped in a time dilation field that Adam had set up just so he could beat her senseless over a prolonged period of time. This was different. Helen could roll with the punches and dole them out in return. Having a hole in her thigh and no medical attention other than field dressing wasn't bothering her; not since she was with John.

John looked at her out of the corner of his eye. She wasn't arguing, offering an alternative. Helen had been oddly accommodating in letting him make the decisions. He wanted to ask if she was feeling well, but it would come off as insulting. John didn't want to insult her. When she had contacted him, asking for his help, John had heard the mixture of fatigue and irritation in her voice. At first he thought it was because she had to call him, but now he thought it was something else. Maybe her life was growing tiresome, being the head of the Sanctuary network was becoming too much for her. Rather than dwell on it for too long, not until he could piece it all together, John reached out with his free hand and opened the passenger side of the truck for Helen.

**MIDNIGHT:**

John had continued to drive while he and Helen sat in silence. A cloud had fallen over them and suddenly he was back to when he had first come to the Sanctuary. The last three hours had been filled with nothing but silence and neither one of them had even reached for the radio to tune into a station. He reached over, took her hand, and laced their fingers together. John needed the contact of her skin to his. It comforted him, even now. His mind was as calm as it had been when the creature had been severed from him the first time. Possibly Helen was trying to make it all fit in her head. Maybe she was just too tired to talk. One thing was for certain, they had definitely been through a lot the past coupe of days. John just hoped that the Cabal remnants he killed were the last ones.

Helen held his hand tighter just thinking about what she had seen in the motel. What had caused that creature to come out of John in the way that it had? Could it have been the device in his chest? Helen would have to run scans on him just to be sure, but she had a working theory that without his powers his body was stable and the creature couldn't survive inside of him. As long as John was using his powers then the creature was free to feed on him and get stronger. If she tested this theory and it proved positive, could she really keep John as he was, as a human with no power? No, she couldn't. It was make him less than what he was. John wasn't a human; he would never adjust to that.

John could feel Helen thinking, knew her train of thought. She had to be thinking about the creature. She had to be wondering how long it would last before that thing found him again. Helen might even be thinking what it would be like to keep him human, keep him cut off from his power. He knew she had to be thinking it because that thought was also in his mind. What would it be like to be human again? There would be no threat of teleporting blind and ending up inside a granite boulder, inside a mountain, or somewhere worse. John Druitt could actually live and love like a normal man; the man he yearned to be for so long. If it came down to a choice between his powers and Helen, John was choosing Helen. It wasn't even a question.

Ten minutes later John was pulling the truck into an abandoned building five blocks from the Sanctuary's main gates. With luck her team would already know something was happening and either they were out searching, or they would be at the Sanctuary. John was hoping for the second one. Climbing out of the cab he went around to the other side where Helen was already out of the vehicle holding her back pack. "Ready?" he asked offering his hand to her.

Helen, without hesitation, slipped her hand into his feeling that long lost warmth of John. "Yes," She answered. On the drive her wound had healed enough to where she could walk with out leaning so much on John. When they got to her Sanctuary the wound would have to be cleaned again, possibly bandaged, and right now John was the only one she would let do that. It was his touch that she wanted and no one else's. The last time she craved John with such ferocity they had just been injected with the Source Blood. Her life seemed to be on constant repeat where John was concerned. Before that thought would have bothered Helen, but now she didn't care. John was always meant to be hers, just as she was his. "When we get home, I'll be ready to sleep for a week." Helen let her head fall against John's shoulder.

John smiled to himself at the mention of them going home. "When we get home, I'll tuck you in myself." John dropped a light kiss to the top of her head. Soon they turned the corner and there were the main gates all Gothic and imposing. Sometimes his back would hurt just from the memory of being repelled by the EM shrill that first time he tried to teleport into this Sanctuary. Though, at the time he had laughed so hard. This time he would simply walk through the gates as a free man. "A Free Man" That sounded so good to him.

They reached the main gate with Helen keyed in the code to open them and for the first time she breathed a genuine sigh of relief. Never had she been so happy to see her Sanctuary, or happy to see it with John at her side. She took a step nearly falling to her knees. All the energy she had regained was gone. If not for John then she would have been sitting on the stones that paved the entrance of the Sanctuary. Without being told John took the pack from her and tossed it inside the little alcove Henry had for when he needed to change the gate codes. Helen was just going to wrap her arm around his waist but John picked up, keeping her close. "John…" Helen stretched out his name.

"Don't be stubborn," John hushed her, "I'll carry you." with his long legs he covered the distance to her front door in no time. Just as they reached the front door it opened with Will and Kate about to head out. John didn't bother with fake pleasantries. He just walked between the two of them and headed to the stairs. John didn't have the patience or the desire to deal with the ex-criminal and the protégé. Helen needed his full attention. With out her telling him John took the stairs and walked down the hall to where her door was. John didn't need to be told it was her room, he knew it was because he knew her.

Helen had the vague sense that she was inside the Sanctuary, but all she could feel was John. All she wanted to feel was John. He was safe and warm and she could fall asleep with him. That was what she wanted more than anything. Helen Magnus wanted to curl up in her bed and sleep. A door opened, she heard it, and then there it was; the comfort of her bed. John had set her down so gently. She then felt the hiking boots come off her feet, along with the socks, and his hands stopped. He was waiting for her to say he could continue. With what energy she had left Helen put her hands to the button of her borrowed jeans and opened them. John pulled them off.

Kneeling on the bed next to Helen, John tossed the jeans over into a corner. He set his hands to the bandage carefully drawing it off; there was only a small amount of blood on the black strip and around the wax. Peeling off the wax he wrapped it in the sheet seeing a pale pink fresh scar on her thigh. Her wound had healed and now it was time for the rest of her body to sleep off the fatigue and regain the strength it took to rapidly heal her wound. He knew the toll injuries took on the body; he had spent many days sleeping off the fall out of the Cabal attack; the injury his daughter had given him. He was backing away, going to let her sleep. She didn't need him in her bed, not now that they were in her domain; her Sanctuary. John's last act was to cover her with a blanket so she wouldn't get cold. He had said he would tuck her in.

"John," Helen mumbled, "Don't leave me…" She rolled over onto her left side snuggling deeper into the blanket. There was enough time for her to wonder if he was going to slip on to the bed behind her.

He had a moment to wonder; should he do this? Was it right to slip into her bed now that they were back at the Sanctuary? Looking to the door John had a split moment of wanting to escape, but he didn't. He kicked off his boots, shed the shirt, and crawled into bed behind Helen. She felt like ice. How had he missed that? Pulling her in tight against him John focused on keeping her warm, letting her sleep and just being with her. Before he knew he was slipping into sleep next to her, around her, being with her again as in the old days.

**THE NEXT NIGHT:**

Helen woke warm and safe much as she had in the cabin, only she was home now. The body behind her was all John. He felt so good curled around her, wrapping her up in his warmth. She hadn't realized how cold she had been until coming back, until John had taken care of her, kept her safe. Idly she ran her hand over the bandage that should have been on her though, but all she felt was soft skin and the softness of a new scar. Helen felt none of the fatigue she had been stricken with earlier. It was all gone. Angling her head she saw John still fast asleep. Her fallen Gothic Angel looked peaceful. Gently she reached out to touch his cheek, the cheek that carried the scar she had left him with. Oh, what they had done to each other through their long years.

Freeing herself from his wonderfully warm embrace Helen walked into her adjoining bathroom to look at her now healed wound. The scar was a jagged pink line and it looked weeks old. She turned her face back to the mirror seeing all the dirt that smudged her face. Helen definitely needed a shower and now she was strong enough to stand on her own. While the water from the shower heated up Helen the stripped off the rest of the clothes leaving them in a corner.

Helen stepped beneath the pulsing jets and sighed, all the dirt and grime from the past few days was being washed away in a lovely heat to relax her muscles. There were aches in her body that she didn't know could ache, but the hot water was helping, that and sleeping in her bed. In her bed she had never slept so well. John was there, had curled up with her. Her soul finally found rest with his. At one time she thought they weren't meant to be, things had gone so wrong. Though, things tended to get terribly worse before they got better. Was this their chance for a better life? Could she keep him? Helen desperately wanted John, wanted his smile, his kiss, and everything else he had to offer.

All the hate and mistrust Helen had for John was being washed away under the hot spray of the water. There was nothing to stand between them now, not that energy elemental or his blood lust. It was gone, that much she sensed from him. But he was still the warrior the elemental had forged; he always would be. John now had a choice whether he killed and he would only do so for her, to protect her. Helen was still wrestling with the idea of keeping him human, keeping his powers blocked and locked away inside of him. They had been trying for over a hundred years to be together but always hate ripped them apart. Now, would this truly be the chance that would keep them together?

Out in the bed room John rolled from his side to lie face down drawing in the scent of Helen as the sound of running water reached his ears. Smiling John sat up and did a full body stretch to work out all the kinks. Various muscles and joints popped in a good way letting his body go loose. John fell back against the bed letting his body settle before getting up. Idly his hand scratched over the dart mark. Would it be better for him not to have whatever was keeping him from his power left in his body? Could he cope with being human again? For Helen he would do anything.

John looked down at the fading red mark on his chest. Something so small had managed to cut him off from his power. In that moment he chuckled. It was ridiculous and it was funny. He had been the Ripper, the most notorious killer of history, and yet here he was as docile as a cat; a languid jungle cat, but a cat none the less. Rolling over the side of the bed John landed on his feet in a crouch and then stood up. He did another full body stretch with all of his joints popping; it felt good to him. John remembered when he started doing the full body stretches. It was right after he and Helen started being together. Just out of impulse he stretched and Helen commented on how she liked to see his body arching in such a way. The memory made John smile as he picked up his shirt. Should he be gone by the time she came out of the shower so she could change in peace? Would Helen want his help?

John shook his head. If Helen had needed him he would have felt it. There was something between them that allowed him small connections at times. During those times John could literally feel what Helen was feeling. Most of the time he felt her pain and sadness; her anger. All of it was because of John. He had made her heart weep from sadness, from pain, from his betrayal. There was so much to make up for. At least, he hoped, that Helen would let him try to make things right.

"You look so serious."

John turned looking at Helen. Her hair was damp, her body tinged red from the water and her body encased in a blood red towel. "Oh my…" It was all he could say, all he could think.

"Jack the Ripper is speechless." Helen chuckled covering her mouth with her hand. It had boon too long since she had seen him like that.

"With you standing there in nothing but a towel," John reached out, hooking his arm around her waist, "I had better be speechless." Resting his lips to her temple John spoke, "You are the fairest beauty that ever stood before the eyes of a man since Helen danced her willing way up on the wondering walls of Troy." John growled kissing Helen on the forehead.

Helen's heart clenched at his words. She fisted her hands in his shirt holding him closer. This was her John, the John who spoke pretty words to her, and made her feel as if she was the only one in the world. "And you," Helen drew her hands up to his face, "Are my fallen Angel full of pain and in need of redemption." A single tear slid down her face only to be wiped away by John's thumb.

"I want to stay like this forever." John breathed out feeling Helen against him. She was so warm and alive. He didn't want that feeling to go away.

"We should get you to the infirmary." Helen said rolling her eyes to meet John's.

"Helen…" John drew her name out backing away from her. How was he to tell her that he wanted to stay human? It was time he tried to reclaim some of his life.

"John, I thought…" Helen tried to say, but words failed her. Didn't he want his powers back?

"Leave me human," John uttered going to her, sinking down on his knees so he could wrap his arms around he waist again. "I want to be human. I want to remember what it was like."

"John," Helen couldn't say anything else. If this was what John wanted then he would have it. She could always remove the device later should his health be in any serious danger. "Are sure you can survive as a mere mortal?" Helen joked with him. All John did was turn his face and nuzzle her stomach. It made Helen smile and laugh.

**OUTSIDE HELEN'S DOOR:**

For the last three hours the team had come and gone listening for signs that Magnus and Druitt were alive. As far as they could tell, hoped for, they were sleeping. Will was braced against the wall, Kate paced, Henry was working on his tablet, and the Big Guy loomed nearby. They were all worried about Magnus. When she had come in last night Druitt had been carrying her. He hadn't taken her to the infirmary. Instead he had taken her right up stairs to her bedroom and locked the door. The four of them hadn't gotten much sleep after that.

"Sure we sure she's ok in there? I mean she's alone with Jack the Ripper." Kate stopped her pacing to look at the door straining her hearing.

"If anyone can control Druitt, it's Magnus." Will muttered. Whenever those two were near each other something in the room was ratcheted up a notch. They acted like gravity to each other. No mater where they start out in a room, somewhere along the way they end up standing side by side.

"I don't like it," Biggie grumbled from his corner. He was worried about his friend.

"Naw, they're fine." Henry spoke keeping his eyes focused on the tablet in front of him. "They're just laughing." He could hear through the door and all was good beyond.

The door opened with Helen fixing her team with a look. She hadn't expected them to be lingering outside her bedroom door. "What are you all doing here?" Behind her John gently placed his hand on her the small of her back.

"Oh," Will scratched the back of his head. "No reason. We were just worried."

"About what?" John asked. He knew his expression was not a friendly one. They were all worried because Helen had been alone with him. That realization alone hurt him more than he would let on. All the times he had hurt Helen had not been because he wanted to, but because that thing made him.

"I assure you Will," Helen looked at John, "I'm perfectly fine. But I will tell you what happened." Keeping John close to her, Helen walked towards her study keenly aware that they were watching the way she and John stood closely together.

**HELEN'S OFFICE:**

"Wow," Kate muttered. "So, you hobbled through the woods with him?" Kate pointed to Druitt leaning against the desk right next to her boss. The two of them looked a little too comfortable together.

"Yes," Helen resisted the urge to look at John, "He was actually quite attentive to me." John went still beside her. Inside she smiled a huge grin. To others John was not known as attentive. He was known as being a killer, a cold blooded monster who delighted in the suffering of others.

"Would you have expected me to let her bleed to death?" John growled making his voice a menacing tone. Kate's gaze flicked to Helen and then back to him where she just glared at him. John grinned with a soft, dark chuckle rumbling in his chest.

Will was n the couch watching his friend and boss. Magnus seemed fine and uninjured. Casually he took in her right thigh that was bare due to one of her shorter skirts she chose to wear. The area where the wound had been was now just a pale pink scar that looked months old instead of just a few days. "I'll never get over how fast you heal." Will stated.

"Benefits of the blood," Helen gave Will a sad smile. Forever cursed to youth and longevity while others around her grew old and fell to time. Idly Helen moved her hand just a fraction of an inch closer to John's. He was her one safe harbor; the only one who knew what it was like for her to live so long.

"What do we do now?" Biggie asked keeping his eyes on Druitt. He still didn't trust the man next to his friend. But he would wait for Magnus. He always waited for her signal.

"For now, we go on as we always have. Just now, John will be apart of that." Helen replied letting her fingers touch John's.

"Are you sure we can trust him?" Henry asked and then backed up when Druitt looked at him. Being around Jack the Ripper completely freaked him out. Henry would just like to be back down in his lab.

John stood at his full height, "I am now a mere mortal. My powers have been blocked and the creature inside of me expelled from my body." He looked at Henry, "I have done things to all of you and I know that I can't atone for that, but you can trust me." His words were heartfelt and sincere but it would take time for the others to believe him.

"Alright," Helen motioned to everyone, "I'm sure there are things that you all need to be doing. Now that we have heard of my adventure, we can all get back to work." She watched each and every member of her team file out. They all cast wary glances at Druitt who moved back to her side.

John waited for the rest of the team to file out before he spoke, "They don't like the fact that I am here do they?" He looked at Helen arching an eyebrow. This was a new start and he wanted to make it work, not only for Helen, but he wanted to fit in her life again.

"It will take time for them to trust you," Helen assured. At least she hoped they would grow to trust John. After all they had been through in the last few days, in the last hundred years; Helen still found that she could trust John. When she needed him he had been by her side. He had protected her through the long years in his own way.

"I hope the fact that I am now just a mere mortal will sway them eventually." John smirked at her. This was the freest he had ever felt in a hundred years. It was a sensation he would have to get used to again, but John was certain he would adapt quickly. He was once again in Helen's good graces and it was where he wished to remain.

"John, if you…" Helen cleared her throat. "I can remove whatever it is that is making human should you wish it." The thought of him mortal scared Helen. It meant that in time he would fall victim to death if he refused her blood. Helen didn't want to lose the man she loved. She had already been faced with that in the motel room when he had had those violent convulsions. Seeing him so helpless had terrified her.

"This," John splayed his hands over his heart, over the small device he knew was there, "Is my atonement for two lifetimes of evil and murder. That thing is finally gone and I'm free. I don't wish to tempt fate a second time by giving up my only means of defense." He spoke truthfully and from the heart. John feared that if that device was removed he would be plunged back into the dark abyss of anger, of the need for chaos, and he didn't want that. He only wanted Helen.

Moving closer to John, Helen cupped his face, "And there is the man I love so much." She could see him coming back from the dark, waking up from a long sleep. Gently she placed her lips against his letting the love she was feeling for him pour out of her and into him. If the Gods were kind then she would be able to keep him this time, just as he was. John Druitt had finally come home to her, the real John.


End file.
